The following United States Patents comprise the most pertinent known prior art:
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According to some state laws recently enacted, disposable syringes are required to be substantially destroyed before being discarded. This step is required in order to prevent reuse of the syringes and needles and to eliminate the possible spread of diseases thereby.
The references cited in the foregoing disclose various devices for crushing or shearing syringes and needles to prevent their reuse. These devices may be characterized by their mechanical complexity, so that they require frequent maintenance and replacement of worn parts. Also, the prior art devices do not adequately protect the contaminated shards and debris which result from the destruction of the syringes and needles. This debris, which is extremely sharp and dangerous, often must be handled by the machine operator in order to effect disposal thereof. The operator of the machine thus is exposed to a substantial biological danger while disposing of the shards and debris.